Photos by Tourism Australia
Witness an underwater phenomenon without getting wet!
This wonderful world never stops surprising us. Who knew that there was a yearly migration of giant cuttlefish just off the coast of Whyalla?
Every year between May and August, the Whyalla waters become home to the mating rituals of tens of thousands of these giant sea creatures — a sight that divers from all over the world come to see for themselves, including film crews for National Geographic and David Attenborough!
If you’re not a diver, you might be wondering how you can witness this spectacular scene for yourself. Enter Cutty’s Tours, run by Matt Waller in his glass bottom boat! He’ll save you from climbing into the freezing cold winter waters while still giving you an incredible platform to view these bizarre creatures.
“Whyalla is the only place in the world known for the aggregation of these giant cuttlefish. It used to be an area that was fished, but now, it’s protected so that divers can explore the shallow granite reef and see the strange mating rituals firsthand. We wanted as many people as possible to share in this unique experience, so we created the glass bottom boat experience,” says Matt.
Operating just 20 to 30 metres offshore in shallow water, these 45-minute boat tours allow you to see the happenings of the sea through the glass base of the boat, with Matt (a fourth generation fisherman) providing insight along the way.
“The male cuttlefish can get up to a metre long and look prehistoric in a way. They have a really interesting courting process where you can see them changing the colour and texture of their skin and strobing patterns to attract a mate. It’s a pretty incredible thing to witness — they’re often referred to as the chameleons of the sea.”
During the mating and spawning season, tours run every hour on the hour from 10am to 1pm to get the best light of the day (when the weather is fair), and hours are extended over long weekends and school holidays. It’s the perfect adventure for tour groups and school groups, as well as campers and travellers passing through the area.
While accessible to most people, the tour includes a short walk down the stony beach to reach the boat, but if you have any concerns, just call Matt to chat about your options.
It’s pretty special to think that we have a worldwide attraction sitting right here in South Australia’s backyard. How lucky are we?
